Big tuna caught off Galapagos, sent in by Braden Escobar, of Ecuagringo Charters. Next time, Braden, send us some tuna filets, too.

What if Darwin fished?

Report from the Ecuadorian Isles

For its rich, diverse and historically important flora and fauna, the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are one of the world’s most popular destinations for naturalists. Not as many people know that the islands offer tremendous bluewater fishing as well. Braden Escobar, of Ecuagringo Charters (www.ecuagringo.com), pioneered the action in the Galapagos for blue and striped marlin and for big tuna, and he tells us that his home waters are calming down for the season as the marlin action heats up. The main species present are striped marlin, tuna and wahoo. Blue marlin are no strangers either. Wahoo and bigeye tuna are very common but usually fished on different banks, says Escobar. For those looking to catch record-size striped marlin on fly, the Galapagos offer fish that average 150 to 250 pounds. Charterboats are equipped to fly fish and bait and switch with pitchbaits. Escobar likes to fish with 40-pound monofilament for the stripies. Inshore, there are snook and snapper.

Dolphin are caught now and then, Escobar reports, but they are not very common and sailfish are very rare. Black marlin, too, are rare in the Galapagos. Wahoo, tuna and striped and blue marlin are the target species.

Late summer and early fall see some of the higher winds. However, it is very rare to see a day too rough to fish, according to Ecuagringo’s Escobar. Fishing generally peaks from March through October but nothing is set in stone and every year has shown its share of surprises.

--David Conway

Roundup

The billfish season is about finished in The Bahamas and sportfishermen will soon turn their attention toward wahoo. High-speed trollers around Bimini and throughout The Pocket will likely find early-arriving ‘hoos. We wish the price of fuel would drop so we could cross a few more times this fall.

Sailfish have been lately receiving better governmental protection off Southern Costa Rica, and the anglers at Osa Yacht Club, who sent in this picture, are working to ensure further protection for billfish species in their waters.

After finally adopting fishing regulations that make sense and recently stepping up enforcement, unprecedented fuel prices are now causing many boaters to cut back on trips to the islands. Adding to the cost-of-fuel problem, sales of residential real estate have severely declined at a number of recently started, large developments in The Bahamas and some appear to be having problems making payments on their loans. As a result, work has stopped or slowed down because construction companies and lenders have not been paid. While marinas may be open and rooms and dock space available, be sure to inquire from a reputable source about the availability of fuel if you are planning a trip to troll for wahoo in upcoming months. These at-risk developments may not have funds to pay for fuel, either.

Marlin are fast departing waters throughout the eastern Caribbean. Wahoo will soon become the target of the Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic sportfishing fleets. Meanwhile, the western Caribbean is keeping an eye on late-season storms with most fishing being done in bays and shallow estuaries.

Paco Saca sends us a shot of the hot sails action off El Salvador in the early fall.

Charterboats are wrapping up their seasonal maintenance in Guatemala and El Salvador in anticipation of the upcoming billfish season along the Pacific Coast of Central America.

Meanwhile, cubera snapper and roosterfish are actively feeding on Pacific-side rocks while coastal rivers on the Caribbean side are yielding impressive catches of snook and tarpon. In Panama, huge schools of baitfish attract assorted tuna and marlin to both the Tuna Coast and the Gulf of Panama.

Anglers north of Venezuela near La Guaira will find plenty of blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish and swordfish patrolling deep water and along the steep banks.

-- Larry E. Kinder